Source: Media Outreach
A Composition by Toni Thompson Explores Singapore’s Continuing Quest for Greater Intercultural Understanding, to Coincide with Racial Harmony Day 2024
The song touches on the racial tensions that characterized much of Singapore history from colonial times onward, and posits that even today—and indeed, every day—each person has a role to play in strengthening bonds within our multicultural society.
The new video, produced with the support of Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) through its Harmony Fund, serves as a poignant reminder that the social pact at the heart of racial harmony is an organic entity requiring thoughtful nurturing and ongoing care.
The video’s striking visuals capture the energy and emotional depth of Thompson’s composition, inviting the viewer on a journey from the nation’s turbulent past to its vital and hopeful present. The song puts Singaporean artists in the spotlight, and was specifically arranged to feature traditional musical instruments representing the different cultures that make Singapore so vibrant, including the erhu, sitar, accordion, guitar, and bamboo flute.
Binding the work still further to Singaporean identity and tradition are melodic references to regional folk favourites “Rasa Sayang” and “Jinkli Nona” in the chorus. The crucial message of “Shining Star” has been set within a lilting bossa nova framework, evoking the verdant tropical backdrop against which all Singapore life has unfolded from the earliest days to now.
More than just another music video, the “Shining Star” MV emphasises that the gains made in racial harmony and social cohesion in Singapore are the result of deliberate focus, determination, and love of country. The song is intended as a tribute to those who believe in the nation’s highest aspirations, and who work towards cultivating lasting goodwill among neighbours and communities, regardless of race, language, or religion.
MCCY support for the “Shining Star” project extended to the production of an eLearning video of a short children’s play based on the song, involving local talent both in front of and behind the camera. This eLearning video will soon be made available as an educational tool on various platforms.
Enamoured of Singapore’s heady amalgam of Eastern and Western influences, Toni Thompson, a Chicago native, has developed a profound fondness for the Little Red Dot; her “Shining Star Amid The Straits” is a unique pandemic-era creation born of that fondness, and she hopes it will resonate with people well beyond the single day the nation rightly sets aside for the celebration of multicultural unity.
Laura Ellington Music is dedicated to bringing the finest musical experiences to audiences worldwide, and this release is a testament to that commitment. “Shining Star Amid The Straits” has premiered on Social Media platforms inclusive of YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok & Facebook. Do experience this remarkable piece first-hand!
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